Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-04-21


his great affection and admiration
was mingled feeling of chivalrous
tenderness which really had Its origin
In pity. lie thought her lonely, and
at times sad. Lord Stair was engrossed
In his books and music. Lady Perth
disliked her, and he thought II hard
that she should not be allowed to do
just as she liked over little Sunbeam.
He had not thought Of falling in love
with her. He would have been horri-
flrd at the suggestions; but he was
careless of the danger. He never said
to himself: "This Is a beautiful. loving,
romantic. girl, who has evidently never
loved yet, bat who will wake some day
from long sleep and love with the
whole of her passionate heart"
He was carless, she was ignorant and
! innocent. She did not know what
the glamour was that had fallen over
her life, what the light was that lay
over land and sea; what the music
was ever rising and ever falling in her
heart; why she loved the dark, clear
/ waters of the Herons' Pool; she was
! quite unconscious of it all.
| SO il became a habit of theirs to
! spend the warm, bright mornings by
/ the pool; it became habit also for them
to use each others Christian names
/ when they were alone. A habit is SO
soon formed. Captain Este, as they
| sat by the clear waters, often took Lady
| Stairs hand in his and held it tightly
clasped. AS the days passed they be-
came inseperable, but there was no
thought of danger.
One evening, when the sun was set
ting in pomp of rose and crimson and
gold, Lord stair returned. There was
pretty little group on the white ter
race where the crimson passion-flowers
grew. Lady Perth had relaxed her
rules and had allowed the lovely little
baby to spend an hour or two with its
fair young mother. Captain Este
would make festive affair of 1t. He
brought out a crimson velvet easy-chair
which he said was to be the throne of
the rarest of queens.
"You will look like a picture by
Titan" he said. "A background of
crimson velvet, dress of blue-what
is it?-brocade? Well, it looks like blue
clouds with trifle of snow over them
golden hair, and face like flower.
That little bundle of white lace lying in
your arms completes the picture"
But Lady Stair was too much en-
crossed with the Sunbeam to care any
thing about the picture, and no fairer
sight was ever seen than the mothers
fair, sweet face bent in mute worship
over the lovely features of the oh lid.
This was the scene that Frightened
Lord Stairs face, as his eyes fell on it.
Lady Perth had been the first to well
come him.
Come with me-" she said; "you will
see pretty picture on the terrace"
He went up to the little group; Lady
Perth went with him; he kissed his wife
and child. The scene was photographed
on his mind and heart and brain forever.
The golden sunlight, the deep blue sky
above, the ripple OF green leaves all
around, the masses OF scarlet passion
flowers, the golden head and flower
like face, standing out so clearly and
so beautifully from the background of
crimson velvet, the little bundle of
white lace lying on the blue dress; he
never forgot the picture, nor did the
others who saw IL. A few words, and
then Lord Stair took parcel from his
pocket.
II have brought you present, Mar
guerite," he said. "Come here Darcy,
and you, Thamer, come and see what
you think of it,"
''Is there nothing for Ethel?" asked
Lady Stair.
Her husband laughed.
at would have been high treason to
have forgotten the little Miss Et1el."
he said. II knew better, Marguerite,
have brought the same for both"
Lady Stair was sitting in the midst
of the group, her husband on one side
of her chair, Captain Este on the other.
Lady Perth stood leaning against the
balustade, and the little Sunbeam lay
with wide open eyes on Marguerite's
knees. A little group but one to be
remembered; the trouble and wonder of
many years were conferred in 1.-THE
foreshadowing of strange events. Lord
Stair was suddenly distracted by the
laughing eyes of the child.
IL believe" he cried "that the little
one knows me; she is laughing at me-"
"She has more sense and quickness
than any child Of her age" cried Lady
Stair, rapturously; at which they all
laughed.
Then Lord Stair stood up and opened
the packet.
IL am quite sure" he said "that both
my wife and child will like the presents
/ have bought for them, they will like
it for its own sake, ane they will like it
even better because it is
"'sET IN DIAMONDS"